Council launches UK drive to take foie gras off the menu

York city council has become the first in the UK to pass a motion condemning the sale of foie gras, in a move welcomed by animal welfare campaigners and likely to intensify pressure for a national ban.

At a meeting on Thursday councillors backed a motion proposed by Labour councillor Paul Blanchard, who suggested in January that members should oppose, in principle, the sale of the bird liver gourmet product anywhere in the city.

The motion means York council will ban the sale of foie gras on its premises. It will also lobby Lord Rooker, minister for sustainable food and farming and animal health, about the sale of foie gras in the UK. The council made it clear last night that it did not have the power to order shops in the city to stop selling the product, or restaurants to stop serving it.

But a spokeswoman said: "This is very much a first in the UK. We are the first council to take such a stand and we will be sending out the message loud and clear that York is a foie gras-free zone."

Before the meeting, protesters from York Action For Animals (Yafa) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Europe (Peta) staged a demonstration. Model Adele Tyrala, 26, was fed through a tube in the city centre to highlight the cruelty suffered by ducks and geese in the production of foie gras.

Mr Blanchard said at Thursday's meeting: "It is so cruel it is banned in 15 countries. I believe York can play its part tonight to get foie gras banned in the UK. This motion will be a start and it will raise awareness of this intolerable cruelty. Production is already banned in Britain on cruelty grounds, but because the sale is still allowed, we are still one of the biggest importers of foie gras from France."

After the council's decision, Anita Singh, from Peta, said: "We're delighted the council has taken this progressive measure. We believe it will open the floodgates for other cities to follow suit. The government will then be forced to act and we hope it will ultimately lead to the complete banning of foie gras in the UK."

Foie gras - French for fatty liver - is produced by force-feeding ducks and geese until their livers become enlarged. By the time they are slaughtered their livers will have grown to about 10 times their normal size.

In France, foie gras has been declared "part of the cultural and gastronomic patrimony, protected in France".

Mr Blanchard's campaign against the sale of foie gras has included a petition on the Downing Street website, which has attracted nearly 9,000 signatures.